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''For articles that are more hands-on and attempt to answer "How do I do X?", see [[Craft]].''
''For articles that are more hands-on and attempt to answer "How do I do X?", see [[Craft]].''


<div style="border:solid black 1px;text-align:center">
''For articles about the history of interactive fiction, see [[History]].''
[[#General_Theory|General Theory]] - [[#Comparisons|Comparisons]] - [[#Design|Design]] - [[#History|History]] - [[#Taxonomy|Taxonomy]] - [[#Terminology|Terminology]] __NOTOC__
</div>


==General Theory==
==General Theory==
* [http://emshort.home.mindspring.com/why.htm Why Write IF?] by [[Emily Short]].
* [[The Rosebush]] - Online magazine featuring articles on interactive fiction theory and criticism. Articles are from 2023-present.
* [http://bluerenga.wordpress.com/ Renga in Blue] is [[Jason Dyer]]'s IF blog. Contains several entries on IF theory topics.
* [http://golmac.org/ Gold Machine] - [[Drew Cook]]'s blog. Features literary readings of Infocom games. Posts are from 2021-present.
* [http://www.ifarchive.org/if-archive/articles/byte87_buckles.html "Interactive Fiction as Literature"] by [[Mary Ann Buckles]] is an early literary analysis of interactive fiction originally published in the May 1987 issue of BYTE magazine.
* [http://bluerenga.wordpress.com/ Renga in Blue] - [[Jason Dyer]]'s IF blog. Contains several entries on IF theory topics. Posts are from 2005-present.
* [http://nickm.com/if/toward.html Toward a Theory of Interactive Fiction] by [[Nick Montfort]]
* Toward a Theory of Interactive Fiction by [[Nick Montfort]] appears in the book [[IF Theory Reader]] ([https://www.ifarchive.org/if-archive/books/IFTheoryBook.pdf PDF version]). Published 2011. [http://nickm.com/if/toward.html An older version of this article] is available at Nick Montfort's website.
* [http://members.aol.com/doepage/theory.html The Meta-Puzzle of Interactive Fiction: Why We Like What We Like. Interactivity Is The Message] by [[Marnie Parker]]
* [http://eblong.com/zarf/essays/if-for-writers.html A Writer's Guide to Interactive Fiction] by [[Andrew Plotkin]]. July 2010.
* [[Past_raif_topics: IF Theory|Discussions about IF theory]] on the rec.arts.int-fiction newsgroup.
* [[Past_raif_topics: IF Theory|Discussions about IF theory]] on the [[rec.arts.int-fiction]] newsgroup. Linked discussions are from 1990-2007.
* [https://jerz.setonhill.edu/if/bibliography/index.html An Annotated Bibliography Of Interactive Fiction Scholarship] by [[Dennis G. Jerz]]. September 2001.
* {{link | archive=http://web.archive.org/web/20050209203241/http://emshort.home.mindspring.com/why.htm |Why Write IF?}} by [[Emily Short]]. 2000.
* [http://www.ifarchive.org/if-archive/articles/byte87_buckles.html Interactive Fiction as Literature] by [[Mary Ann Buckles]]. An early literary analysis of interactive fiction. Originally published in the May 1987 issue of [[Byte Magazine|BYTE magazine]].
* {{link | deadurl=http://members.aol.com/doepage/theory.html | archive=https://web.archive.org/web/20000419005715/http://members.aol.com/doepage/theory.html | The Meta-Puzzle of Interactive Fiction: Why We Like What We Like}} by [[Marnie Parker]].


==Comparisons==
==Comparisons==
* [http://www.drizzle.com/~dans/if/tads-vs-inform.html TADS vs. Inform - a (vaguely) in-depth comparison] by [[Dan Shiovitz]].
* [http://www.brasslantern.org/writers/iftheory/tads3andi7.html A Comparison of TADS 3 and Inform 7] by [[Eric Eve]], © 2008-2009. Very useful (but long).
* [http://www.xyzzynews.com/xyzzy.3h.html Character Gender in Interactive Fiction, Part I] and [http://www.xyzzynews.com/xyzzy.6f.html Part II] by [[Doug Atkinson]] for XYZZYnews issues #3 and #6. Compares how a variety of games handled PC gender.
* [http://inky.org/if/tads-vs-inform.html TADS vs. Inform - a (vaguely) in-depth comparison] by [[Dan Shiovitz]].
* [[Past_raif_topics: Development#Authoring_systems_in_general|Discussions about different authoring systems]] on the [[rec.arts.int-fiction]] newsgroup. Linked articles are from 1999-2007.
* [http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/onlamp/2004/11/24/interactive_fiction.html Choosing a Language for Interactive Fiction] (2004), by [[Liza Daly]] for O'Reilly ONLamp.com.
* [http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/onlamp/2004/11/24/interactive_fiction.html Choosing a Language for Interactive Fiction] (2004), by [[Liza Daly]] for O'Reilly ONLamp.com.
* [[Past_raif_topics: Development#Authoring_systems_in_general|Discussions about different authoring systems]] on the rec.arts.int-fiction newsgroup.
* {{link|deadurl=http://www.xyzzynews.com/xyzzy.3h.html|archive=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701022648/http://www.xyzzynews.com/xyzzy.3h.html|Character Gender in Interactive Fiction, Part I}} and {{link|deadurl=http://www.xyzzynews.com/xyzzy.6f.html|archive=https://web.archive.org/web/20160510180923/http://www.xyzzynews.com/xyzzy.6f.html|Part II}} by [[Doug Atkinson]] for XYZZYnews issues #3 and #6. 1995. Compares how a variety of games handled PC gender.


==Design==
==Design==
* [http://emshort.home.mindspring.com/multi.htm Multilinear Interactive Fiction] by [[Emily Short]]. Afterthoughts on concept and reactions to ''Galatea''.
* [https://emshort.blog/how-to-play/writing-if/books-and-other-resources/chris-crawford-on-interactive-storytelling/ On Chris Crawford and Interactive Storytelling] by [[Emily Short]].
* [http://emshort.home.mindspring.com/CCReview.html On Chris Crawford and Interactive Storytelling] by [[Emily Short]].
* {{link | url=https://emshort.blog/how-to-play/writing-if/my-articles/multilinear-if-older/| Multilinear Interactive Fiction}} by [[Emily Short]]. Afterthoughts on concept and reactions to ''Galatea''.
* [[Past_raif_topics: IF Theory#Game design|Discussions about game design]] on the rec.arts.int-fiction newsgroup.
* [[Past_raif_topics: IF Theory#Game design|Discussions about game design]] on the [[rec.arts.int-fiction]] newsgroup. Linked discussions are from 1993-2007.
 
==History==
* [http://www.retina.net/liza/games/if.shtml About Interactive Fiction] (1996, 2001), by [[Liza Daly]]. Very short.
* [http://home.grandecom.net/~maher/if-book/ Let's Tell a Story Together]. A History of Interactive Fiction, &copy; 2006 by [[Jimmy Maher]]. Long.
* [[Past_raif_topics: Miscellaneous#History|Articles about the history of IF]] on the rec.arts.int-fiction newsgroup.


==Taxonomy==
==Taxonomy==
''(In other words, lists and categories.)''
''(In other words, lists and categories.)''
* [http://www.onyxring.com/InformGuide.aspx?article=74 NPC Conversations: Ask/Tell Theory] by [[Jim Fisher]] (2004). Discusses four NPC models: Librarian, Rambling Idiot, Lecturing Professor, and Conversationalist.
* [https://www.tumblr.com/cyberpunklesbian/681100807594295296/the-different-schools-of-recent-twine-adjacent The different schools of recent twine-adjacent interactive fiction] by [[Autumn Chen]]. April 9, 2022.
* [http://www.xyzzynews.com/xyzzy.9d.html Player Character Identity in Interactive Fiction] by [[John Wood]] for XYZZYnews #9. Asssociates types of PCs with types of IFs and genres.
* {{link|url=https://heterogenoustasks.wordpress.com/2015/01/26/standard-patterns-in-choice-based-games|archive=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316030612/https://heterogenoustasks.wordpress.com/2015/01/26/standard-patterns-in-choice-based-games/|Standard Patterns in Choice-Based Games}} by [[Sam Kabo Ashwell]]. January 26, 2015.
* [http://brasslantern.org/editorials/pcrole.html The Player Character's Role in Game Design] by [[Duncan Stevens]] for Brass Lantern. Discusses certain key techniques in creating a meaningful PC and certain gimmicks that have been used to bring PCs to life.
* [http://emshort.wordpress.com/2011/05/03/an-alternative-taxonomy-for-interactive-stories/ An Alternative Taxonomy for Interactive Stories] by [[Emily Short]]. May 3, 2011.
* [http://bluerenga.blogspot.com/2005/02/categories-of-interactive-fiction.html Categories of Interactive Fiction] by [[Jason Dyer]].
* [[Past_raif_topics:_IF_Theory:_part_2#Genres_/_themes_/_types_of_IF | Discussions about game genres]] on the [[rec.arts.int-fiction]] newsgroup. Linked discussions are from 1993-2006.
* [http://bluerenga.blogspot.com/2005/02/categories-of-interactive-fiction.html Categories of Interactive Fiction] by [[Jason Dyer]]. February 4, 2005.
* [http://www.onyxring.com/InformGuide.aspx?article=74 NPC Conversations: Ask/Tell Theory] by [[Jim Fisher]]. 2004. Discusses four NPC models: Librarian, Rambling Idiot, Lecturing Professor, and Conversationalist.
* [http://brasslantern.org/editorials/pcrole.html The Player Character's Role in Game Design] by [[Duncan Stevens]] for [[Brass Lantern]]. 2001. Discusses certain key techniques in creating a meaningful PC and certain gimmicks that have been used to bring PCs to life.
* {{link|deadurl=http://www.xyzzynews.com/xyzzy.9d.html|archive=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204120834/http://www.xyzzynews.com/xyzzy.9d.html|Player Character Identity in Interactive Fiction}} by [[John Wood]] for [[XYZZYnews]] #9 (May/June 1996). Associates types of PCs with types of IF and genres.
* [[List of things that may get a player stuck]] by [[Jan Thorsby]] - <b>Contribute!</b>
* [[List of things that may get a player stuck]] by [[Jan Thorsby]] - <b>Contribute!</b>
* [[List of things that causes automatic playing]] by [[Jan Thorsby]] - <b>Contribute!</b>
* [[List of things that causes automatic playing]] by [[Jan Thorsby]] - <b>Contribute!</b>
* [[Past_raif_topics: IF Theory#Genres / themes / types of IF|Articles about game genres]] on the rec.arts.int-fiction newsgroup.


==Terminology==
==Terminology==
''(See also: [[FAQ]], [[Glossary]].)''
''(See also: [[FAQ]], [[Glossary]].)''
* [http://www.onyxring.com/InformGuide.aspx?article=5 What is IF?] by [[Jim Fisher]] (2004).
* [http://www.onyxring.com/InformGuide.aspx?article=5 What is IF?] by [[Jim Fisher]] (2004).
* [http://emshort.home.mindspring.com/whatsif.html What's IF?] by [[Emily Short]].
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20060901153020/http://emshort.home.mindspring.com/whatsif.html What's IF?] by [[Emily Short]].
* [[Eric on Interactive Fiction]] by [[User:Eric.xyzzy|Eric.xyzzy]].
* [[Eric on Interactive Fiction]] by [[User:Eric.xyzzy|Eric.xyzzy]].
==See also==
* [[IF Theory Reader]]
* [[Theory Club]]
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[[Category:Basics]]
[[Category:Basics]]

Latest revision as of 23:24, 9 March 2024

Theory articles listed here attempt to define terms, eg: "What is X?"; sort things into categories, and make comparisons between things, eg: "How does X compare to Y?"

For articles that are more hands-on and attempt to answer "How do I do X?", see Craft.

For articles about the history of interactive fiction, see History.

General Theory

Comparisons

Design

Taxonomy

(In other words, lists and categories.)

Terminology

(See also: FAQ, Glossary.)

See also

Theory, Craft, and History Resources
Theory General Theory • Comparisons • Design • Taxonomy • Terminology
Craft Game • Making-Of Articles • NPCs • PCs • Promotion • Puzzles • Setting • Story • Use of Medium • Writing
History History of Interactive Fiction
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